Today’s Ted’s Tip is a small compilation of acts of kindness that I asked for last week in honor of my 200th tip and in celebration of Style & Simplicity turning 5.

Visiting the elderly at their home, to cooking or baking for your neighbors and delivering the food as a surprise, to paying for the person behind you in line at the coffee shop or grocery store, holding the door open for someone, sitting with someone who is alone, or letting a car in at a busy intersection, to looking someone directly in the eye and using their name, or simply smiling. Just some of many, many thoughtful simple acts of kindness each day that were submitted. If you want to perk up your day look over the list on Instagram or FB or right here in the comments section. It will warm your heart and make your day. Cheers to daily acts of kindness!

I have drawn the 5 winners. Look for a message by way of the social media channel in which you posted your act of kindness with a message of YOU WON!

The grieving process is quite something. It happens whether you are ready for it or not. Rather, whether you are willing to let the process wash over you. The death of a parent, even at an advanced age, is an ending not like many others. So many factors get mixed in the soup of emotions. Things will hit you when you least expect it, like an item on a menu at a restaurant that brings back a flood of memories. Swim in those memories. Grief is personal and there is no roadmap, so each person’s journey on that road is as unique as they are. I had the not wise thought that since my mother had lived such a full life, dying at 92 that I would somehow grieve less than I would over my father dying at 61. Loss is loss at whatever age. The last 10 years of my mom’s life was challenging for her, which in turn made it challenging for my family. The goal I am learning, is to not have those later memories supersede a whole lifetime of really good ones. Being a fairly task/goal oriented fellow, I am smiling as I type that, I had set a timeline on my grieving. What a silly, silly man. It just does not work that way. I have had many lovely conversations with customers who follow along on the daily blog or social media thanking me for sharing my experience over the last few months. Sharing it is part of the healing process for me. I think we must talk about these things, as death is such a part of life. But really it should be me thanking you all, as talking about it and writing about it is part of my grieving process. We head to Chicago next weekend for her service, a Catholic mass in her honor, followed by a lunch. Each reading, each song, chosen by her. Just how she wanted it–which delights me beyond measure. The above quote I found this morning seemed pretty perfect… X, T

My mother died last night comfortably in her sleep after a sudden illness. We flew to Chicago from New York early Sunday morning to be with her. Bailey jumped out of her black Sherpa bag that she travels in right onto my mom’s stomach. TPS getting to hold her hands to comfort her. Oh how she loved them both. We got several hours with her before the morphine and other drugs put her into a restful, almost twilight-ish sleep. Her last words as she held my arms tightly as I stroked her head, were ‘I love you’ as she looked right into my eyes. The hospice nurses could not have been more lovely and caring and warm, to both my mom and to my family. This photo from her 90th birthday a few years ago. She always had such style. Rest In Peace mom, I know dad was anxiously waiting in the heavens for you…

We took a field trip the other day and made the drive over to Clinton, New York, about two and a half hours from Hawthorne. Mister Sive went to Hamilton College and had not been back since we met. It has always been on our list as I so wanted to see the campus. Wow, meticulous beauty and history at every turn. Alexander Hamilton was a trustee of the school which was later named after him. It was a stunning upstate Autumn day filled with lots of memories.

Blue is a hue I find myself reaching for time and again. It was not really a color we used lots of at home or in the shops much in the past, but that has changed quite a bit. We now have lots of goods set about in vignettes at the stores and we use it more and more out on the island. Below are some images with blue taking top billing.

We watched Won’t You Be My Neighbor? last night on pay per view. I can’t tell you how touched we both were by this film. Wow, just wow. I had heard from so many people over the last few months how much they enjoyed it, but it really was next level–I had tears through most of it. Growing up I had certainly seen bits & pieces of his show, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. It resonated with me then, but this documentary digs deep into the real meaning of his message. Love. Love yourself and love others. Given the political climate and the great divide, this film could not have come at a more perfect time. I think it might be a final gift to all of us from Fred Rogers. It is a message I believe with my entire being. It seems so simple and so basic. Love your neighbor.

Saturday I worked the Market shop, snapping this assembled grouping, as home was on my mind. It was one of the the most consistently rainy days I can remember, and it had me thinking of the comforts of HOME. How it can be stormy outside but the comfort of our home, even the idea of it (since I was at the shop, which was also pretty darn cozy on that rainy day) can be so enveloping. Be it a home small or large, grand or simple, it is filled with things that remind us of our past, make us feel cared for, and energizes us for the new day ahead.

Each word of the book is so lovingly spoken and your voice exudes such warmth and kindness. You are so genuine with your readers. And so interested in teaching them how to love… Love art…. Love nature… Love small things… Love friends… Love family… And love life.

— Haley from New York

Ted’s ‘Style & Simplicity’ is absolutely Lovely (with a capital L)! It’s also charming, fun to read, and full of wonderful advice.

— Newell Turner, Editor in Chief at House Beautiful

Ted Kennedy Watson has a most refined sense of aesthetics…and he shares some of his best secrets, for which I am so grateful!

— Lisa Birnbach, author of The Official Preppy Handbook

Ted, and his namesake fine good emporiums Watson Kennedy are legendary in this town. What he does brilliantly is quality over trend, substance over vapid style.

— Kaye Wellman, author Eat, Shop, Seattle

If you’ve ever wanted to walk through a stylized photo in a magazine this shop is a phenomenal fix for that as the merchandising is crazy delicious to feast your eyes upon.

— Uncle Beefy at thebedlamofbeefy.com

I feel like a kid in a candy shop every time I walk in the door.

— Apartment Therapy

I ordered ‘Style & Simplicity’ and it was delivered to my home in Hermanus, South Africa. What a delightful book and inspiration!

— Marlien on Facebook

The Seattle tastemaker behind Watson Kennedy: a personally curated store with the absolute best gifts, treasures, home goods, and hand-selected music.

— Town & Country

#genius #book @watsonkennedy #brilliant #perfect #gift

— Howard Slatkin on Instagram

Truly a visual feast for the eyes and palate.Thank you for sharing your abundance of “everything good”.We customers are transported to shopping heaven while in your store(s) and website.

— Blog reader Kris

We’ve long been fans of Seattle retailer Ted Kennedy Watson and his first title certainly lives up to it’s stylish name. The lavish A to Z guide is bursting with tips on how to create a cozy, chic and inviting home.